Thank you so much for your help. I followed your advice and cut back to one enzyme each morning (containing porcine @14x) on an empty stomach. Within a few days, the bleeding stopped. (Taking 3 per day caused full bleeding for 3 weeks.) I'm really hoping the enzyme therapy will help cut my RA inflammation.

I can't afford health insurance so my doctor is the internet. My husband and I live on a small old age pension, so I have to be selective about when I do go to a doc. I would really like to have some tests done, but am not sure what's most important at this point . . .

I did have some sort of "stool/GI test" done last year, and was told I had no enzymes, hardly any probiotics, and hardly any calcium D-Glucarate. I now supplement with all three.

I printed out your page on RA. I read it twice, making notes the second time. I was diagnosed in 2005 with RA (RA Factor was 128 and sed rate was 13). I've been taking various supplements for years trying to stave off this disorder, but only learned about modifying my diet last year.

It took several months for me to stop coffee. Now I don't drink it or sodas either. Mostly I drink water or a bit of tea and almond milk. Also, I don't eat bread or pasta or anything with gluten in it. And I don't eat "nightshades". I haven't had milk for years or dairy products or eggs (except for the odd small serving of ice cream). I try to avoid fried stuff. I've cut my animal proteins down to 4 oz daily, or even every other day. I drink a fruit smoothie most mornings and eat a salad every day for lunch. I have steamed veggies with my supper most nights and a bit of meat or a sweet potato or squash.

Last year I went on a 3 week juice fast, and began modifying my diet as described above.

This April I went on a 30 day cleanse (Dr Richard Schultz: HerbDoc.com). I didn't follow it to a "T", but I think I covered 75% of it. I lost some weight too, going from 167 to 135. (I'm 5'6"). The cleanse included a bowel, liver, and kidney cleanse. Also, I did Hulda Clark's parasite cleanse in January. And I've done 3 of her liver flushes in the past 10 years.

Yes, all of this sounds good . . . so what are my weaknesses? Well, I find myself continuing to eat sugary things. I find it hard to stay away from chocolate. And I tend to "fall off of the diet wagon" at times, especially when I get depressed about it all. I get to feeling hopeless because the cleanses and fasts and the diet changes have been a huge change for me and my husband . . . and the rewards are so small.

At times I feel like I've halted the disease, but other times, it just rages forward. I have gotten a lot worse in the past 12 months in spite of my extra efforts. My right hand (2 fingers and wrist) is quite deformed. My left hand has some pain, as well as chronic tendonitis on the top of the hand. I have pain all over my body every day.

So I take Nsaids, once or twice a week. I have never been to a Rhuematologist, and have never had any RA drugs (and I don't want any either). I do believe natural medicine is the way to go.

I had a "live blood analysis" last year (Dr. Harvey Bigelsen at the Biological Health Institute) and the doctor there said my blood was the dirtiest blood he ever saw. But he didn't think it was caused by my dental work though. So I have laid that theory to rest. (However, I don't know how correct he was).

Yes, I've had TONS of dental work: root canals, posts, crowns, caps, fillings, bridges, extractions . . . I've always had bad teeth. If I had to redo my dental work, it would costs probably thousands of dollars. I would have to go deep into debt to do it . . . so I was hoping Dr. Bigelsen was right about my situation . . .

Sorry to have written so much. I do want to respect your time. Thanks for listening. I guess if I had a question, it would be, what should I do now? What test or tests would maybe point to the cause of this RA in my case?

Thanks for the information you have shared. I will keep studying it, and try to go forward . . .
(k)